Rain water harvesting must for commercial units in rural areas: Krishna Byre Gowda

Bengaluru: The state government is mulling over making it compulsory for commercial buildings in rural areas to implement rain water harvesting as part of its effort to build a water secure future for the state, Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said Saturday.

“Commercial buildings in rural Karnataka like factories, warehouses, buildings, we are trying to make rainwater harvesting compulsory for them.

We are examining it legally also. We will issue a circular regarding this to get it implemented compulsorily,” Gowda said.

Currently such mandate making rain water harvesting compulsory exist for the areas that come under urban local bodies and not for rural parts.

Referring to buildings constructed by Panchayat Raj Engineering divisions like schools, colleges, angavadi buildings, hospital buildings, Gowda said “We are changing the model estimates, making it mandatory to include rain water recharge in the building estimate, and an order to this effect will be issued on June 11.”

The minister held a video conference with Chief Executive Officer of all districts about ‘Jalamrutha’ and Karnatakas Year of Water campaign to harvest water and conserve it, with public participation that involves water literacy programme.

He said 15 years of the last 19 years have been drought-hit for Karnataka.

In the backdrop of World Environment Day, the State is implementing a set of programmes on June 11, the day on which at least 30 lakh trees would be planted by involving public, self-help groups, school children, youth clubs and 6,022 panchayats.

Implementation of waste management including-segregation, composting and recycling- will be taken up in 1000 gram panchayats under Swachchameva Jayate programme, he said, adding that water literacy talks will be held at schools, colleges and panchayats.

Work on 20,000 water harvesting structures is on and will be completed by 2019-20, the minister said.

“We will also revive 14,000 small water bodies, and will take advantage of NREGS to create assets at an investment of Rs 500 crore.”

The department also plans to distribute about 2 crore plants through gram panchayats this year.

Asked about officials at the pilgrimage centre of Dharmasthala Friday appealing to devotees to defer their visit citing scarcity of water, Gowda said, “It is true that there is issue due to drought..we will talk to them on what can be done there as large number of pilgrims gather….will talk to Chief Minister also.